The Father, The Son
by Luthiena
Summary: This is a fic in response to challeges set by littlefiction. Naraku vows revenge on Inuyasha and mistakenly kidnaps Sesshoumaru. Chapter 10 up, finally.
1. Wounded pride

_A/N:- This is in response to challenges set by littlefiction of whom I am a great fan. I should, however, clarify the following before I begin the story._

_All characters will behave in an OOC manner_

_I do not own Inuyasha_

_Inu no Taisho is alive in this story_

_This chapter is merely a scene setter and the challenge kicks in in chapter 2_

_Thanks and I hope you enjoy...please R & R...reviews give me a happy._

**Chapter 1**

Naraku sat cross-legged on a straw mat hidden away in his castle, to any onlooker he looked the picture of serenity; his eyes were closed and his long wavy black hair hung over his face. However, his thoughts were tumultuous and his mind raced trying to think of answers.

"Kagura, come here."

Sighing, Kagura entered the room from the darkened corridor she had been hiding in; as always she wondered how Naraku knew she was there.

As she drew close to him she noticed the fresh scratches on his naked chest and the bruising on his face; the spider mark on his back seemed especially visable today.

"What happened?" As soon as the words left her mouth Kagura regretted them, it was not wise to question Naraku so boldly; to her suprise he didn't admonish her, instead he began to explain what had happened the previous day.

_Flashback_

Inuyasha growled as the scent of Naraku grew stronger, he glanced over his shoulder and cursed silently that the rest of the group could not travel as fast as he could.

"He's over there."

"He has shards of the jewel with him."

As one the group quickened their pace, weaving through the trees of the forest as quickly as they were able; finally they broke through into a clearing by a small stream, waiting for them, a sardonic smile on his face, was Naraku.

Inuyasha had the Tetsusaiga out of its sheath in an instant and was already in mid-swing when Naraku vanished; shocked, Inuyasha tried to stop short but his momentum kept carrying him forwards and he strarted to fall. A hand caught him before he hit the floor and pulled him upright; Inuyasha turned to thank Kagome or whoever it was who helped him only to see Naraku clutching his forearm.

Acting on instinct Inuyasha put all his strength behind his claws and slashed blindly at Naraku; Naraku was too busy trying to avoid the arrows Kagome was shooting at him to notice, the claws connected with his chest and knocked him off balance.

Naraku fell to the floor hard and struck his cheek on a rock; feeling a flush of red come to his cheeks he growled in anger, furious at himself for letting them get the better of him, if only momentarily, Naraku retreated to a safe distance ignoring the blood oozing from the scratches.

Stood on a rock on the far bank of the stream, the three lines of pain on his chest burning with shame Naraku looked back over at the group ready to launch another, better planned attack.

To his horror and embarrassment they were laughing. At him.

Filled with shame Naraku fled back to his castle to nurse his wounded pride.

_End Flashback_

Kagura felt a smile begin to form on her lips but quickly forced her face to remain neutral; it was too little too late, however, as Naraku noticed the amusement in her eyes.

"I will not have it so I am a figure of fun, mocked even by my own incarnations. I will have my revenge on Inuyasha, much worse than mere death."

Both sat in silence for quite a time, both lost in their own thoughts and seemingly unaware of the others' presence; until Naraku opened his eyes, finally having come to a decision.

"Go. Find me the thing Inuyasha prizes above all things."

Kagura left her master once again wishing she had the strength and courage to either leave or kill him; she made her way swiftly through the castle corridors until she came to the room Kanna used for sleeping.

Sure enough the eerie little girl was sat in her room looking into the mirror which was ever in her hands; she looked up at Kagura as she entered and when she spoke it was in a soft voice devoid of all emotion.

"I watched you and the Master; I have Seen the past and I know what Inuyasha prizes above all things."

Kanna turned the mirror to Kagura, as the wind soceress watched her eyes widened in amazement.

_Inuyasha, barely old enough to walk was laid on his back in a field being mercilessly tickled; giggling loudly the tiny hanyou tried to get away but was kept in place by strong hands._

_The one holding him was much older and taller, although the same silver hair flowed down his back; he was smiling also as he continued his assualt on the squirming Inuyasha._

"_Give in?" The stranger had a deep sensual voice that was filled with amusement._

"_Never!"_

_Inuyasha gave a mock growl and sunk his tiny fangs into the stranger's forearms, reacting instantly the tall demon's fur rippled and his tail unfurled wrapping the struggling pup in thick fur._

"_No fair." Inuyasha whined spitting silver hairs in the face of his captor._

"_I am sorry pup." The unknown demon released Inuyasha into his arms and held him in a tight embrace._

"_I love you." Inuyasha snuggled against the older demon's chest._

"_I love you too, little brother."_

"Inuyasha has a brother." Kagura gasped.

"A half-brother, Sesshoumaru, a full youkai who still lives in the Western Lands. Son of the famous tai-youkai, Inu no Taisho – Lord of the Western Lands."

Kagura left immediately to tell Naraku, a she explained about the relationship the brothers' shared her master's eyes lit up; as soon as she had finished Naraku rose to his feet and began to glide from the room

"Come Kagura, we leave tonight for the Western Lands."


	2. A challenge set

**Chapter 2**

Silence.

Sesshoumaru stood in the centre of the glade, motionless; a small breeze whipped strands of his long silver hair across his face but he did not even flinch.

His muscles were tensed and ready to spring in a heartbeat, his keen youkai ears strained to catch every sound and his eyes darted constantly – the only part of him to move.

Every nerve ending in his body tingled as he stood in a state of hyper-alertness; he revelled in the feel of the soft springy grass beneath his bare feet and resisted the urge to shiver when the breeze hit his naked torso.

All of a sudden he moved; in one fluid motion he bent his knees and back-flipped out of the way of the demons that had been stalking him. Assessing the situation quickly he realised there were seven; as he landed he brought his hands together, smacking two of the demons' heads together and knocking them unconscious.

Crouching low he launched himself into a spinning roundhouse kick, which took out three more; the remaining two he dispatched quickly with a flying kick to the ribs.

Panting, Sesshoumaru stood motionless once again amongst the prone demons; silently Sesshoumaru bowed and sunk to his knees.

In the blink of an eye another demon stood before him; this demon was tall, broad-shouldered and wore his greying hair in a topknot framing his noble face.

"Sensei." Sesshoumaru's voice was respectful.

"Very good, Lord Sesshoumaru. You defeated the foes in 1 minutes and 23 seconds; now go and rest, you should not over-exert yourself."

"Thank-you, sensei."

Sesshoumaru rose and bowed once again before walking swiftly towards the castle; very soon the tall imposing walls of his home swam into view and before long he was walking the corridors to his chamber looking forward to a hot bath to soak his muscles.

But first.

Taking a deep breath Sesshoumaru rounded the corner into the corridor that would take him to his father's study; he knew it was his duty as a son and future heir to report on his progress but he dreaded facing the stern tai-youkai that was his father.

_But,_ thought Sesshoumaru. _I have nothing to fear today, I did well. Even the sensei was pleased with me; I will make him proud._

Carefully schooling his features into a neutral expression, devoid of emotion, Sesshoumaru knocked respectfully on the door.

"Enter."

Sesshoumaru did as he was bidden, the oak door feeling heavier than it should have as he was pushing it open; once inside he approached the desk his father sat behind and bowed low on his knees.

"Father, I have come to report on today's training. My most honourable sensei trained me to deal with multiple foes unarmed; the time was 1 minute and 23 seconds."

Sesshoumaru fell silent as his father's amber eyes gazed down on him dispassionately; without a word the great tai-youkai gestured for his son to rise and leave him, as Sesshoumaru reached the door Inu no Taisho spoke in a low voice.

"I defeated them in less than one minute when I was half your age; you must try harder if you ever want to be worthy."

Sesshoumaru left the room, his eyes shining with unshed tears; quickly he forced them away and, with some difficulty, maintained his mask of neutrality – his father always said emotion was weakness.

Instead of taking the corridors that led to his room Sesshoumaru once again took the route that led out of the castle; ignoring his aching muscles he strode out into the twilight, he went straight past the training fields and up the path towards the forest where demons lived in abundance.

Standing in silence once more Sesshoumaru forced his tired muscles into a state of tension once again and began his wait.

_**(Meanwhile)**_

Naraku peered through the trees at the dog demon standing so still, a look of concentration on his near-perfect face.

Naraku realised he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life; as the wind tossed the stranger's hair about and ruffled the tail he wore wrapped over his shoulder it took his breath away.

The two stayed like that for many hours, one completely unaware of the other's presence – standing, still and silent; the other gazing in adoration at the new object of his desire.

_A/N:- I have just realised I haven't warned any readers that this may be a story with many chapters……tee hee I just don't seem capable of short stories do I?_


	3. Training for real

**Chapter 3**

Sesshoumaru forced himself to focus on memorising every detail of the tree which stood before him; if he didn't he just knew he would break down and cry – his muscles had been tense for such a time that he could feel the pain throb through his being with every heartbeat. His entire body trembled as he fought to keep himself upright and his eyes watered from staying open; his mind and body were exhausted but he refused to give up until he had completed the task in a way that would make his father proud.

Naraku decided he had watched this beautiful demon for long enough in silence, he had a mission to finish and he should do so before the dawn; gathering his baboon-skin cloak tightly around his shoulders he stepped into the clearing behind the tall youkai.

Sesshoumaru turned instantly, he dropped his body-weight and bent his knees preparatory to springing at his opponent.

"My Lord." Naraku's voice was soft as he inclined his head slightly.

Sesshoumaru, thrown off-balance by the greeting and unable to control his flagging muscles, tried to stop himself lashing out at the newcomer but only managed to make himself fall over in an undignified heap on the ground.

The young youkai lord was surprised to feel the stranger helping him up; his grip was strong and yet tender and concerned, trying to gather together the scraps of dignity that remained to him Sesshoumaru pulled away and stood apart looking down his nose at the stranger.

"Who might you be? It is not wise to interrupt one such as myself while I am training – you could have been seriously hurt."

Naraku raised one eyebrow sardonically and let his gaze rove over Sesshoumaru's dishevelled clothing.

Still Naraku did not speak; he glided over to where Sesshoumaru was smoothing out his clothes and slowly withdrew a clump of moss from the youkai's silver hair, letting his hand brush softly over Sesshoumaru's cheek.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly at the impudence of the man stood before him; he could smell the stench of mortality as well as demon about him, he replaced his mask of neutrality and looked at the stranger coldly.

"You would do well to remember your place, half-breed, and your place is not in my presence."

Sesshoumaru turned his back on the stranger and walked gracefully away through the trees towards the castle; the shock he felt when the half-breed grabbed hold of his forearm was enough to stop him in his tracks.

"Take your hand off me." Sesshoumaru's voice lowered to almost a growl.

"I am afraid not, my lord, I must ask you to accompany me."

Naraku's voice was pleasant but there was an undertone of warning that Sesshoumaru quickly caught on to.

"Do not presume to threaten this Sesshoumaru."

As Naraku tightened his grip on Sesshoumaru's forearm he felt a slight fluttering in the depths of his stomach; angry at himself he pulled the youkai roughly towards him – he would not allow himself to be governed by his emotions, he would not let his attraction to the young lord cloud his mind.

Sesshoumaru barely managed to keep his footing as the half-demon pulled on his arm; furious he wrenched his arm away with a loud growl and stood glaring at Naraku with hatred, by the time he felt the warning rushes of blood down his limbs it was too late to turn back and Naraku found himself facing a very large, very angry demon dog in its truest form.

Kagura watched from the shadows with interest; she knew she should help her master, knew she would be punished severely later if she didn't; and yet, she found herself watching with a smile on her face.

The wind soceress allowed her smile to widen as the great youkai sprang at Naraku with a fierce growl; she stayed long enough to watch her master disappear under one great paw before walking away through the trees humming quietly.

_A/N:- Thank you for the kind reviews so far, I am enjoying writing this story. Next chapters for this and Shadow of my heart are going up on Wednesday. I hope you all keep R & R ing...cheesy grin _


	4. Capture of a youkai

**Chapter 4**

Kagura walked until she was out of earshot of the fight between her master and the young lord; humming to herself she closed her eyes and spread her arms, preparatory to manipulating the wind to carry her away.

Pain lanced through her head as she felt her hair yanked with such force she fell backwards to the ground; beads of blood formed on her scalp as she looked up with dismay into the eyes of Naraku.

"Going somewhere, Kagura?"

Kagura stared up at him in silence, her breath coming out in short gasps from the stinging pain in her head; his face contorting with anger Naraku grabbed another handful of hair and pulled her unceremoniously to her feet ignoring the yelp of pain; however, when he spoke his voice was quiet and deathly calm.

"Did you think me so stupid, Kagura? That I would go into battle with an unknown foe, do you not know me well enough by now to know my cautious approach to my enemies – that was a decoy."

Cursing herself for her mistake Kagura lowered her eyes in an act of contrition, Naraku was clearly not fooled but released her nonetheless.

"Come, we must see if our young lord has clamed down yet."

When Kagura did not move to follow him Naraku leant in close to her and smiled, he whispered softly in her ear in an intimate whisper.

"Never forget who holds your heart and soul, slave."

_**(Meanwhile)**_

A red mist seemed to have formed in front of Sesshoumaru's eyes; his logical mind told him that his foe was not there, when he lifted his paw and there was nothing he knew somehow that his enemy had not been real. Yet the anger coursing through his body like fire made his rational thoughts melt away; he growled ferociously and set about tearing the trees up around the clearing looking for his prey.

He was too busy destroying the landscape Sesshoumaru failed to notice the beginning warning of what was about to happen; the leaves on the nearby bushes and trees began to blow about and the dust on the ground was whipped into frenzy. All of a sudden Sesshoumaru found himself pinned to the ground by the sheer force of the windstorm, which blew about him; forcing his aching muscles to obey him he transformed back into his human form and rolled behind a boulder to protect himself from the onslaught.

A path cut itself through the wind and the stranger he had been fighting before walked calmly through the storm.

"My Lord Sesshoumaru, I apologise for my earlier caution and this rather tiresome display. However, I must insist you return to my castle with me."

"This Sesshoumaru is nobody's prisoner, especially not a hanyou."

Usually Naraku would have looked scornfully at any of his prisoners who said such things, but seeing the youkai look so fierce and determined made his stomach turn somersaults, he smiled slightly and offered Sesshoumaru his hand.

"No, my Lord; you are not my prisoner, you are my guest. However, as my guest I must ask you to respect my wishes by not leaving the grounds or attempting to harm myself or my servants."

Sesshoumaru stared defiantly back at Naraku and pushed himself to his feet, calmly smoothing down his rumpled clothing he gathered his dignity together and raised one eyebrow disdainfully.

"I have no wish to be your 'guest' now or ever; now let me on my way half-breed, I have no more time to waste on you."

"That is a great pity, I had hoped to keep this amicable but I will not leave without you." With a sad shake of his head Naraku gracefully walked away and signalled to Kagura, the wind buffeted Sesshoumaru from all sides at once with such fury he found himself lifted off his feet. The air seemed to be getting thinner and he had to gasp for breath, as he sank slowly into darkness he felt himself lowered to the ground gently; the last thing he heard before oblivion claimed him was the half-demon's voice.

"Most regrettable."


	5. Unexpected revelations

**Chapter 5**

Inuyasha raced ahead, the scent of Naraku was getting strong now – he had to be close; he had left Kagome and the others behind some time ago now, he was determined not to let Naraku escape this time so tracking him at mortal speed was not an option.

Using a low hanging tree branch to propel himself Inuyasha broke through the trees and landed in front of Naraku with the Tetsusaiga already drawn.

"End of the line Naraku."

Naraku merely smirked, it took a lot of effort to keep his calm after the embarrassing debacle the other day but he refused to be baited further.

A scent reached Inuyasha that made his stop and look around, the memory of this scent was from many years ago and yet he recognised it so swiftly it was so familiar to him.

"Ses….Sesshoumaru?"

"Naraku's smirk became a smile as he observed Inuyasha's shocked expression; the hanyou's mouth fell open and his eyes widened with shock. Naraku stepped back to reveal the unconscious Sesshoumaru laid out on the feather Kagura used to ride the winds' on.

Inuyasha staggered back a couple of paces; his ears flattened to his head and his eyes filled uncharacteristically with tears, as he looked on the prone form of his brother Inuyasha seemed to stiffen and when he looked back at Naraku his eyes were cold and hard.

Naraku thought back to the image Kagura had described seeing in the mirror and imagined the revenge he would take with anticipation - when Inuyasha watched his brother die it would be sweet revenge.

"I do not take kindly to being humiliated, Inuyasha, and as a consequence I have decided that you shall watch your dear brother die by my hand." Naraku was surprised to feel himself wishing he did not have to harm the young youkai lord but suppressed the feeling by watching Inuyasha intently for his reaction.

To his shock Inuyasha sheathed the Tetsusaiga and nodded slightly, when he spoke his voice was hard and devoid of all emotion.

"I will let you live, after all you are doing me a great service Naraku. Kill him."

With that Inuyasha walked away; once out of sight of Naraku he collapsed against a tree and sobbed, the memories of long ago assailing him.

"Shall I dispose of him, master?" Kagura asked, gesturing towards Sesshoumaru.

Naraku remained silent for a short while staring after Inuyasha with barely concealed astonishment; when he spoke it was as though he heard the words from far away.

"No, bring him with us." Naraku moved to Sesshoumaru's side with an almost hungry look and stroked his cheek softly. "I have more uses for him than just revenge for a pathetic half-demon."

_A/N:- This is sort of a 'fill in' chapter; the next 2 are my favourites by far. They will be posted by Tuesday at the latest._


	6. The broken brotherhood

_A/N:- This chapter is written from two different perspectives; the first half by Inuyasha and the second half by Sesshoumaru – it should help explain why Inu didn't care about Sess and also why Sess fears and hates his father._

**Chapter 6**

Sesshoumaru groaned and turned over, his sight was blurred and his head groggy; he could swear he had caught Inuyasha's scent earlier. Inuyasha; the guilt welled up inside him almost unbearably as he sank back into uneasy dreams.

Inuyasha, having dried his tears, walked back to the camp. He barely said two words to his companions, he was too lost in his thoughts of the past; slowly he fell into a troubled sleep.

**Part 1 – Inuyasha's dream 'Betrayal'**

The tiny hanyou puppy lay in bed and wriggled his toes with contentment; he thought back over the day and smiled.

Sesshoumaru had taken him to the lake west of the castle and begun teaching him how to swim; at first he had been afraid of the cold water stretching out before him but his brother had been patient and kind, that was just one of the reasons why Inuyasha loved him so much.

After about an hour of swimming Inuyasha had begun to get tired and bored so Sesshoumaru had wrapped him in the long fluffy tail he wore over his shoulder and carried him back to the castle; by the time they got back the pup was dry but the tail was dripping.

Yawning widely, revealing two tiny fangs just poking through the gums, Inuyasha snuggled down and closed his eyes; he was just drifting off to sleep when a familiar scent by the door of his room set his nose twitching.

Opening his eyes irritably he saw his brother standing by the door looking solemn; sitting up slowly he pouted and pointed an angry finger at his brother.

"No! Bad Esso, bed now."

He saw his brother close his eyes as though gathering strength and then scowl down at the tiny hanyou.

"Be quiet half-breed; stop your whinging and get up."

"What's a half-breed?"

"A half-breed is something beneath notice, a piece of filth on this earth that doesn't even deserve the attention to kill it. You, Inuyasha, are a half-breed; a disgusting abomination."

Inuyasha's eyes filled with tears, he had barely understood two words of what Sesshoumaru had just said but it was clear his brother was angry at him for something, his ears drooped and his bottom lip wobbled.

"Don't waste my time with your pathetic tears, just get up now."

"Why? What has Inu done, Esso?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not appreciate you using such an informal and insulting abbreviation of his true name."

"Huh?" Inuyasha looked at his brother, completely baffled.

The tall youkai lord reached down and grabbed Inuyasha roughly by the back of the neck and threw him onto the cold stone floor; he looked down at the whimpering hanyou with cold eyes.

"I said get up."

Struggling to keep the tears from pouring down his face Inuyasha stood up and craned his neck back to look into his brother's eyes.

"Now get out of the castle and out of these lands; filth like you should not be allowed to disgrace our family's bloodline – remember if I ever see you again I will destroy you."

Inuyasha sank to the ground, his child's mind completely unable to grasp what was happening to him; so when Sesshoumaru pulled him out of the room and through the castle he blindly followed.

Soon they were out of the castle; Sesshoumaru picked up Inuyasha, threw him over his shoulder and began to run as fast as he could away from the castle; when he finally stopped they were further from the castle than Inuyasha had ever been.

"Now leave." Sesshoumaru dropped Inuyasha unceremoniously on the ground and gracefully strode away into the night.

Inuyasha sat on the ground and cried; he was cold, lost and alone.

**Part 2 – Sesshoumaru's dream 'Sacrifice'**

Sesshoumaru sighed as he sank lower into the hot bath water the servants had prepared, one by one he felt his muscles relax as the dirt and the grime of the day washed away.

He had enjoyed his day teaching Inuyasha how to swim; he felt a surge of pride as he remembered how quickly his little brother had overcome his fear of the lake and how swiftly he had picked up the basics of swimming.

Closing his eyes he submerged himself fully into the water; when he surfaced he was shocked to see his father standing by the side of the bathtub looking disdainfully down at him.

"F – Father.."

"Sesshoumaru. I am displeased with your behaviour and wish to rectify it."

"Displeased?"

"Yes, I believe I just said that. If you have nothing to add to the conversation bar sounding like a parrot then I suggest you stay quiet."

Sesshoumaru wisely decided to stay silent, suddenly realising he was naked in a bathtub he blushed and almost jumped out of the water wrapping his tail around himself.

"I have been lenient with your behaviour up until now as you are just a pup, however, your training to become a lord and ruler is to begin next week and all unsavoury distractions and pastimes of yours must end tonight. I am of course speaking of your relationship with Inuyasha.."

"..But Father; he's your son as well as my brother."

Inu no Taisho looked down on his son in silence untl it was clear he should not interrupt again.

"Inuyasha was the unfortunate result of my pairing with my mate; I have tolerated him thus far for his mother's sake, however, she passed away earlier this evening and I am finally free to be rid of him."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in shock and tears stung his eyelids, he had been very fond of his father's second wife.

"Father…I..I am sorry, please accept my condolences."

"Do not embarrass yourself further, Sesshoumaru. I will not grieve as emotion is weakness, and you should not either. You will go now to Inuyasha's room and get rid of him; I am never to see him in my lands again, understood?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head slowly.

"Please, father, please don't do this."

"Tonight is the night you prove to me you are worthy to be my heir; if you do not get rid of the half-breed disgracing your bloodline I will make it understood from that point onwards that I have no son."

With that the great dog demon left Sesshoumaru alone; feeling as though he were in a nightmare Sesshoumaru slowly dressed and made his way to Inuyasha's room, looking in at the dozing hanyou puppy he felt as though his heart were about to break; when Inuyasha opened his eyes and spoke to him it took all his resolve to keep his face stern.

"No! Bad Esso, bed now."

He closed his eyes and forced himself to think of gaining his father's approval, when he opened them again he used every ounce of strength within him to keep his voice steady.

"Be quiet half-breed; stop your whinging and get up."

"What's a half-breed?"

"A half-breed is something beneath notice, a piece of filth on this earth that doesn't even deserve the attention to kill it. You, Inuyasha, are a half-breed; a disgusting abomination."

As Inuyasha's eyes filled with tears and his ears flattened, Sesshoumaru almost took a step forwards to hold him and comfort him; feeling as though his heart was breaking he kept speaking, the words sounding foreign to his ears.

"Don't waste my time with your pathetic tears, just get up now."

"Why? What has Inu done, Esso?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not appreciate you using such an informal and insulting abbreviation of his true name."

"Huh?" Inuyasha looked at his brother, completely baffled.

Knowing that Inuyasha would never understand what was happening Sesshoumaru realised he would have to use more drastic measures, reaching out a hand he grasped Inuyasha by the scruff of his neck and, trying to ignore the whimpers that cut into him, threw him to the ground.

"I said get up."

Inuyasha sowly got to his feet and looked Sesshoumaru in the eye; the youkai lord wished his brother would scream at him or look away, he didn't feel like he could bear the guilt he felt as those eyes locked with his.

"Now get out of the castle and out of these lands; filth like you should not be allowed to disgrace our family's bloodline – remember if I ever see you again I will destroy you."

Inuyasha sank to the ground, and Sesshoumaru realised once again he would have to use physical force to carry out his task. Bending down he picked up Inuyasha and threw him over his shoulder, as he walked through the castle corridors Inuyasha seemed to get heavier with every step.

Soon they were out of the castle; Sesshoumaru picked up Inuyasha, threw him over his shoulder and began to run as fast as he could away from the castle; when he finally stopped they were further from the castle than Inuyasha had ever been.

"Now leave." Sesshoumaru dropped Inuyasha unceremoniously on the ground and gracefully strode away into the night.

As he left Inuyasha alone in the night a part of Sesshoumaru died; one lone tear streaked a path down his face before the mask of neutrality settled impregnably over his face forever.


	7. Seducing Sesshoumaru

_A/N:- Hi everyone, I am so sorry the story has been so fragmented but my money isn't stretching to computer time at the moment so chapters with by fairly hit and miss for a while…….. _

**Chapter 7 **

Sesshoumaru groaned softly as he regained consciousness his body ached all over from the fights yesterday and his mind was still reeling from the vivid guilt-ridden dream.

Trying to ignore the fact his stomach wanted to empty itself he groggily opened one eye, his vision was still blurred by sleep and it seemed to be obstructed by something; with a sigh he opened both eyes and pulled himself into a sitting position.

It turned out this wasn't the wisest thing to do as he was immediately hit with a wave of nausea that made his stomach churn horribly, fighting down the instinct to simply lie back down and go to sleep Sesshoumaru forced himself to his feet and began to inspect the room.

The room he was in was fairly non-descript, it was approximately 15 square feet and barely tall enough for him to stand straight; there was a small cot-bed and three straw mats, one lone lantern swung from the ceiling making the shadow flicker and dance. The only odd thing about the room was it's lack of windows or a skylight; also there was not the usual thin paper door or bamboo reeds, this was a door of solid oak – and it was locked fast.

Just as he was contemplating knocking the door in it opened inwards so that Sesshoumaru, who was stood next to it, had to step backwards to avoid being hit.

Through the door came the raven-haired half-breed who had accosted him in the forest and abducted him; Sesshoumaru growled softly - a warning, not a challenge.

Naraku bowed, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"My Lord Sesshoumaru, I am so pleased you are alright. I was worried my servant had hurt you with her sorcery, she has been punished for her over-enthusiasm."

For some reason, even though his tone was polite and mannerly, Sesshoumaru found a chill run down his spine.

"You will stand aside, half-breed."

Without waiting to see if he would be obeyed the tall youkai strode gracefully towards the door, now that he was at his full strength and rested he didn't believe any half-demon would be so stupid as to stand in his way – he was wrong.

"I am afraid not, my Lord."

"Who are you? Let me leave."

Naraku made tutting noises and wagged his finger mockingly in Sesshoumaru's face.

"Now, now. Curiosity killed the cat."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows raised, a huge show of emotion for him. Being called a cat was the ultimate insult for a purebred dog youkai as himself.

"You have over-stepped a line, half-breed, I cannot allow an insult such as that to pass."

Sesshoumaru stepped forwards allowing the poison to drip from his claws; it unnerved him that Naraku simply stood there waiting for him, making no move to flee, fight or defend himself.

"Sit down, my Lord."

Naraku's voice held a hint of amusement as Sesshoumaru was pulled to the floor by tangled vines that shot out from nowhere; they held the youkai in their strong thorny grip, tight enough that he couldn't escape, but not so tight that he was in any pain or discomfort.

"I do apologise, my lord, but they are for my protection."

"Who are you?"

Naraku chose to remain silent, he glided over to where Sesshoumaru was held still on the floor and reached down to smooth the youkai's hair back, away from his eyes.

"What do you want with me?"

"At first I wanted you for revenge, I have been having trouble with your brother; however," Naraku sighed dramatically. "However, I discovered that you were useless to me in that respect."

For one brief moment relief and joy welled up inside Sesshoumaru – his brother was alive, he had survived!

And then that moment was gone, replaced by the cold void that forever filled him these days, why should he care?

"Of course I am useless to you in that capacity," Sesshoumaru's voice dripped with scorn. "I exiled him many years ago, after all why would I want a pathetic, weak little half-breed around?"

Naraku bent low and gazed into Sesshoumaru's eyes, he lent down and kissed him softly on the forehead before putting his lips close to his captive's ear and speaking in a soft seductive whisper.

"We half-breeds are not all weak and pathetic; I guarantee you will never hold that opinion of me, my lord."

"This Sesshoumaru holds that opinion about any half-breed; I am unimpressed by your capture of me, I was weary and off-guard so you were lucky, now it is obvious you fear my power as you cannot even speak to me without ensnaring me with thorns."

Naraku's smile widened as he took in the sight before him; the young demon lord with his eyes sparkling with anger and defiance made his heart race and his breath come in short gasps – not that he showed it.

"Three days, my lord." Naraku crouched on his haunches locking eyes with Sesshoumaru. "Three days are all it will take and then, one way or another, you will be mine."

Sesshoumaru had never felt so outraged in his life and as a result he did something he would never normally do, something that went against all his natural instincts as a lord – he spat at Naraku.

Using one long finger Naraku wiped away the spittle from his cheek and leant in towards his prisoner, using one had to steady the youkai's head Naraku brushed his lips over Sesshoumaru's softly.

"Three days."


	8. On the First Day

**Chapter 8**

As Sesshoumaru awoke he was instantly alert, this was his second day of capture and he resolved that there wouldn't be a third; he noted with surprise that he had been moved to a different room while he slept – that he hadn't woken immediately when someone touched his sleeping form was disturbing.

Allowing his sensei's training to return to him he relaxed his breathing and reached out with his mind, sweeping every detail of the room with his sharp eyes and memorising it.

The room itself was much grander than his previous cell, there were comfortable futons arranged in pleasing formations around the centrepiece of a small fountain which burbled happily; light streamed in from windows set high in the walls and the floor was covered with the finest furs.

On a table to his left sat a bowl filled with fruit and a jug of water with three glasses, the door was solid oak and locked tightly; a smile almost touched the lips of the young youkai lord – he could break this down easily.

_**(Meanwhile)**_

Naraku watched his captive prowl the room with a satisfied smile; soon the tests of the first day would begin, it hurt him to imagine hurting the beautiful creature but it was necessary.

The mantra of his previous master ran through his mind once again and he shivered in anticipation.

_One the first day, break the body. On the second day, break the mind. On the final day rebuild and claim as your own._

As the oak door opened slowly he leant forwards.

"On the first day…"

_**(Meanwhile)**_

Kagura rode the winds higher and higher, her kimono flapped behind her and the cold stung her face and eyes.

Even the fine silk of the purple kimono she had chosen today rubbed painfully across her back; anger at Naraku rose in her for the injustice of the previous day.

"_Kagura, you almost killed Lord Sesshoumaru." Naraku's voice was cold._

"_You ordered me to call the winds and capture him, I had it under control, he was safe."_

"_Ordered you to harm him? Don't be ridiculous."_

_A look of incredulous surprise crossed Kagura's face._

"_Do you think I would be foolish enough to attack a tai-youkai, even a young one, unless I had been ordered to do so."_

"_Your excuses bore me."_

_Trembling with rage Kagura turned to leave only to find her way blocked by two giant salamander demons; Naraku used them for basic missions – they were too stupid for anything more complicated._

"_What is the meaning of this, Naraku?"_

"_I cannot let your behaviour go unpunished, Kagura. Lord Sesshoumaru is my honoured guest and you attacked him."_

_Nodding to the two brutish demons Naraku left the room; Kagura was quickly grabbed in strong arms and held steady by one as the other began to whip her mercilessly._

Kagura found herself trembling from the memory and fought to control her emotions, she had to retain concentration or the winds she sought to control would rebel against her.

She would teach Naraku a lesson he wouldn't forget, a smile played on her full red lips as her destination came into view.

As she landed she was immediately surrounded by a dozen guards pointing swords at her throat.

"State your business, friend or foe."

"Take me to see Lord Inu no Taisho; I know where his son is being held."

_A/N:- So sorry it's taken so long to get another chapter but I have had some family emergencies with my step-dad having operations and such like….but I'm back now_


	9. A broken youkai

**Chapter 9**

Butterflies fluttered in Kagura's stomach as she was marched through the stone hallways of Inu no Taisho's legendary castle; every so often a small thrill of anticipation mixed with nerves would ripple through her body as she contemplated the enormous risks she was running simply by being here.

Any misgivings were swept from her mind as one of the guards placed a heavy hand on her shoulder to guide her through a door, this simple act caused fresh waves of agony to crash though her as his hand pressed against some of the wounds made on Naraku's orders.

"You will wait here."

Kagura found herself suddenly alone in a small empty room, the door was made of some kind of metal and a draught blew from a tiny window cut in the walls.

_**(Meanwhile)**_

Sesshoumaru felt his muscles automatically tense as the door opened but then he forced them to relax; whatever game this half-breed was playing he refused to be part of it – a heavily muscled salamander demon stalked into the room and stood before him, a nasty smile on its face.

A small smile quirked the corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth upwards, salamander demons were incredibly stupid and, though boasted some strength, were no match for a tai-youkai such as himself; why he had been barely a whelp when he had bested his first of this kind. Now he thought nothing of fighting ten or twenty in one session without breaking a sweat; it was laughable that this one lone demon should be thought to constitute a threat to him.

The salamander demon swung his giant fist towards Sesshoumaru's face; the young youkai lord lifted his eyebrow almost imperceptibly and raised his left arm to block the blow – at least that was the plan.

Somehow his arm seemed heavy as lead and his movements so slow it was like moving through thick treacle; the punch landed squarely on the right side of his jaw and with a detached surprise Sesshoumaru heard the crack as his jaw broke, it wasn't until he hit the floor with a thud that the pain kicked in – and with it the rage.

Three hours later Sesshoumaru struggled to his feet once more and stood, swaying, facing his assailant wiping the blood from his face with the sleeve of his once pristine white kimono.

Terror swelled within him at each failed block and each new blow to his body; he should have found this fight easy and yet he was failing to land even a single successful blow on the slow moving demon in front of him. It had evolved into full-blown panic making his head spin and adrenaline cloud his vision.

Naraku had been stood in the same spot looking down at the room below for almost six hours before he moved; he felt torn by conflicting emotions of such strength they frightened him. Half of him screamed at him to stop what was happening in the room below and longed to comfort and soothe the young lord; the rational half of his mind, however, made him keep still knowing that in order for the youkai to fully belong to him he must go through the trails and be rebuilt.

He winced as his subordinate landed a particularly vicious kick to Sesshoumaru's ribs causing a ripple of pain to cross his normally smooth features, half-turning away in distress he decided that the trial for the day should be concluded.

_**(Meanwhile)**_

As Kagura waited and waited in her small holding cell she was unaware of a presence also waiting and watching her from the topmost branches of a tree outside her slit of a window.

Dusk had fallen and long shadows filled the room by the time the door opened once again; two tall stern-faced guards marched efficiently into the room and stood either side of her hands on the hilts of their swords, from behind them the infamous ruler of the Western Lands strode gracefully into the room and stood gazing at Kagura with such dispassionate eyes that she almost felt herself shrinking.

"You have information for me?"

"Yes."

Kagura felt a pounding in her right ear as one of the guards backhanded her suddenly.

"Show respect, inferior being, and refer to our Most Honourable Lord by his correct title."

Cheeks flushing with a mixture of shame and anger she clambered to her feet and addressed Inu no Taisho again with her eyes downcast the whole time.

"I beg my lord's forgiveness for my rudeness and humbly request he accept my offer of help."

Inu no Taisho inclined his head a mere fraction and waved his hand motioning for her to continue

"My master, the hanyou Naraku, captured the young Lord Sesshoumaru and is holding him prisoner against his will. Naturally I came at the first opportunity as my Lord will obviously be worried for his son and heir."

"You presume too much; if my son has been foolish enough to allow himself to be captured and held by a mere half-breed then he does not deserve my help and I shall not trouble myself with this matter further. If he finds a true tai-youkai pride within him and returns by his own merits then I may seek vengeance but until then he has shamed me and I have no heir."

Kagura's mouth fell open in her shock as Lord Inu no Taisho turned on his heel and left the room; one of the guards turned to face her and addressed a short final sentence before leaving her alone.

"This meeting is concluded; you ma now leave."

As Kagura walked blindly through the corridors of the castle in a dreamlike state of shock the silent observer slipped down from the trees, satisfied with a job well done.

_A/N:- I'm so sorry it took so long to upload but my computer broke and my step-dad's been ill again and so much rubbishy stuff...but I'm here now (and writing X-Men Evolutions fics as well as Inu...heehee)_


	10. Mind games

**Chapter 10**

Sesshoumaru lay still and silent gazing into the darkness above him; the cold stone floor of the cell pressed uncomfortably against his wounded back but he knew that to move would be to invite fresh agony.

His tail lay limp beside him coated in sticky dried blood; his once beautiful silver hair hung in disarray around his head. His kimono clung to him in tatters, stuck to his torn skin by oozing rivers of red – but the pain that hurt most of all came from within, he closed his eyes against the humiliation of defeat but images of failure filled his mind.

After what seemed an eternity he slipped into a deep sleep, the silence of the night broken only by his jagged, uneven breathing.

_Sesshoumaru stood in the centre of the arena, the stone seats around the edges were empty today save for a lone figure observing from the throne, the dust from the floor swirled in eddies at his feet._

_With a grinding noise the 12 gates situated at intervals in the arena walls shuddered open, dark silhouettes could be seen in each one._

_As 12 fully-grown salamander demons stalked into the arena wielding 2 swords each the young tai-youkai smiled; this would be easy._

_Barely ten minutes later the dust settled to reveal Sesshoumaru stood in the midst of 12 corpses, he was not breathing heavily nor had he drawn his weapon; slowly he turned to the throne and bowed._

"_Sesshoumaru." Inu no Taisho's voice rang out like a whip-crack in the silent arena. "You have shamed me once again."_

_Astonished Sesshoumaru looked up at his father with pleading eyes wondering what his mistake could have been; he had beaten his enemies and he had done it without the use of his weapon._

"_Father…I don't understand..."_

"_Stop whining like a puppy barely weaned."_

_Sesshoumaru closed his mouth with a snap and stood mutely waiting for his father to continue, his cheeks burned with humiliation._

"_You are injured; a true tai-youkai, one worthy of my bloodline, could never be injured by such weaklings – try harder."_

_With that scathing remark he was gone._

_Sesshoumaru patted his body down in confusion, he couldn't recall even one of his foes landing a direct hit on him, he felt no pain and could smell no blood._

_And then he saw it._

_A scratch so minute upon his left hand it had not even managed to draw blood; he stood for a long time just looking at the whitened skin willing it to disappear, such a small thing but it had meant the difference, once again, between success and failure._

Sesshoumaru jerked awake, sitting bolt upright by reflex; he only just managed to stifle his moan of pain as a broken rib was dislodged from its resting place, he felt his body crumple and waited for the jolt of agony that would ripple through his body as he hit the floor.

To his surprise that jolt never came, he opened his eyes to find himself nestled in the arms of the half-breed holding him captive; a growl escaped his throat and, despite his position, he managed a semblance of dignity.

"Hush, my Lord." Naraku's voice was soft and warm. "Your injuries will heal in time."

"Release me, half-breed."

Sesshoumaru struggled to break free but strong arms pulled him tighter into an embrace; once again Sesshoumaru felt colour flood his face as he felt their closeness.

"I am truly sorry you are hurt, my Lord. My minion was merely supposed to be a sparring exercise for you, to keep you occupied; if I had realised you were so weak. Well, perhaps the tai-youkai blood does not run as strongly in _your _veins as it does your father; still, I am sure you make a fine heir for the Western Lands."

Smirking to himself, knowing the pain these words would inflict, Naraku laid the young demon lord carefully on the ground and swept out of the cell as quickly as he had arrived.

He looked forward to the dawn, the second day would bring with it the tools he needed to destroy Sesshoumaru's soul and rebuild him as his own.

"_On the first day, destroy the body. On the second day destroy the mind; and on the third day rebuild and claim as your own."_

_A/N:- I am SO sorry these updates are taking so long but I promise you there are good reasons, tell you what though...lots of reviews tend to get my butt in gear...press the button you know you want to..._


	11. A hanyou divided

_A/N: - There are reference in this chapter to chapter 9 of this story, just so you know, also I am so sorry that…1) This story is taking so long to update and complete….2) This story is so lengthy, I just seem genetically incapable of writing short stories…..3) The chapters are so short; long stories I do but short chapters they have…._

_bows head for forgiveness_

_Friends?_

_Now let's begin_

**Chapter 11**

Naraku watched the dawn rise with calm detachment, the pink and orange light reflected from his raven hair and gave him a false halo; his brow was furrowed in thought and his eyes didn't see the beauty of the sunrise – they saw a different beauty.

Time and again his thoughts returned to the young tai-youkai, and each time he had to wrench his thoughts back to the business side of the matter; he was growing attached to the young lord, that much was clear, but he couldn't afford to become attached, couldn't afford to fall in…

The reed door was pushed aside interrupting Naraku's train of thought, gratefully; he turned to greet the visitor.

"Kanna, have you brought what I asked you to?"

The tiny girl in white nodded slowly, silently; he deep black eyes were unreadable and her face, as always, betrayed no sense of thought or emotion.

"Show me."

Kanna lifted the mirror she carried always, the surface rippled and became opaque as he master stared into it; when it cleared Naraku was looking into a small cell of the Western Lands, at Kagura and Lord Inu no Taisho.

_The wind sorceress crawled to her feet; she had obviously been struck across the face for some insult._

"_I beg my Lord's forgiveness for my rudeness, and humbly pray that he accepts my offer of help."_

_Lord Inu no Taisho inclined his head a mere fraction motioning for her to continue._

"_My master, the hanyou Naraku, captured the young Lord Sesshoumaru and is holding him prisoner against his will. Naturally I came at the first opportunity as my Lord will obviously be worried about his son and heir."_

"_You presume too much; if my son has been foolish enough to allow himself to be captured and held by a mere half-breed then he does not deserve my help and I shall not trouble myself with this matter further. If he finds a true tai-youkai pride within him and returns by his own merits then I may seek vengeance but until then he has shamed me and I have no heir."_

"This meeting happened only 11 hours since; I watched, as instructed, hidden within the boughs of a tree." Kanna's voice was soft and lilting.

To his surprise Naraku felt a surge of pure rage at the great demon Lord of the West, the rage was followed by a feeling that was alien to him; he tried to analyse it and understand what it was but it was too strange.

"Well done, Kanna." Naraku forced himself to reply. "This is exactly what I had wanted to see."

As Kanna bowed and walked silently from the room, Naraku turned back to the window; his thoughts even more in turmoil than before.

He should be ecstatic, should be revelling in a successful plan but he wasn't; this strange emotion kept him from his joy. It wasn't anger at Kagura, he had always known the wind-witch would betray him; in fact, he had actively counted on it.

He tried to wrench his mind back to his plans for the coming day, this was to be the most difficult and delicate of the proceedings regarding Sesshoumaru; to break a strong youkai's mind took precision and careful planning – this interview with his father would be heavily instrumental with that.

As he contemplated the devastating effect this would have on his prisoner he felt a wrench in the pit of his stomach, another new emotion was bombarding him.

With a sudden shock he realised it was guilt, he was feeling guilty about his plans for the coming day; which could only mean the other new emotion was…love?

"Feh!" Naraku exclaimed out loud; he stood up and angrily started to ready himself for the day, as he calmed slightly he almost started to laugh at his foolishness – guilt and love, he must be imagining things, he did not have any use for those emotions.

With a new sense of purpose he strode quickly though his castle to Sesshoumaru's cell; he placed his hand on the door and, just for a moment, he hesitated. His mask slipped showing true concern and grave misgivings, he almost withdrew then and there, but then the moment of indecision was over and he was himself again.

Fashioning his face into a sneer he pushed open the door and prepared himself to destroy a tai-youkai.


	12. On the Second Day

_A/N:- Goodness me it's been a long time since I updated. An awful lot of things happened at once, not all good, but it's all reverting slowly to normality and that means a return to fanfiction. I hope you haven't forgotton me or my stories._

_On a side note, I am writing a series of oneshots about Sesshoumaru and Rin (only in a father daughter capacity) and would appreciate any suggestions for a theme for each chapter. Send me the replies in a review (or just review) or by email: I get a lot of spam so title it Fanfiction Suggestions. Thanks _

**On the Second Day**

As Naraku entered the room he adopted a casual, dismissive posture and curled his lips into an elegant sneer; Sesshoumaru was laid out on the floor, still recuperating from the many wounds he had received the previous day.

"Get up." Naraku's order was a barked command, his voice harsh and completely unlike the soft and intimate tone he had used previously.

Sesshoumaru regarded him impassively from golden eyes and Naraku felt his stomach flip, schooling his features into disdain he nudged the young tai-youkai with one foot.

"I said get up, you are free to go."

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened fractionally, a huge show of emotion for him, he had resolved not to talk to this infuriating hanyou at all but his curiousity got the better of him.

Normally he would never deign to even think about asking questions of one so beneath him; but he was confused, tired and in pain. He hadn't eaten in two days and he still felt the lingering terror he had felt when his muscles refused to obey him in the fight.

"But why?" his voice was soft and vulnerable, for a moment he was just a young man and not the heir to the Western Lands.

"You are of no use to me now." Naraku's entire body language screamed boredom and disdain, but inside he truly wanted to hold the young lord and comfort him; the urge was so strong and sudden it almost frightened him.

_What use was I ever to him?_ Sesshoumaru thought wryly, he raised an eyebrow – invitation for Naraku to continue

"Your father seemed less concerned for your well-being than we had hoped, you are proving less lucrative than we had anticipated." Naraku knew his tone was dismissive, knew the knowledge would hit Sesshoumaru hard after all he had recently been through. It almost made him regret what he was about to do, but then he steeled himself. His old teacher had been quite clear, follow the three steps and Sesshoumaru would be his to do with as he pleased, but falter in any way and all would be lost.

_On the second day, break the mind…_

"I don't believe you." Sesshoumaru's voice was tight with tension and his face pale, though still expressionless.

Naraku smiled, a slow sinister smile, and made a slight gesture behind him. Right on cue Kanna glided through the door holding her mirror outstretched from tiny porcelain hands.

"Kanna, show _Lord_ Sesshoumaru." Naraku commanded, using his power over her being to manipulate what she was showing. He knew this would be the final blow, the words taken out of context, the ultimate betrayal.

Sesshoumaru tried to look disinterested but he couldn't help himself as an image of his father swam into view on the opaque surface of the mirror.

_Inu no Taisho stood before Kagura, his face completely devoid of anything, his eyes hard and cold. When he spoke it was with the air of finality._

"_He does not deserve my help and I shall not trouble myself with this matter further. He has shamed me and I have no heir."_

Naraku sighed slightly, the concentration it took to manipulate Kanna into editing the vision was immense, luckily Sesshoumaru was too busy watching the images on the mirror to pay any attention to him.

It was as though something snapped inside Sesshoumaru, a tiny crack and his mind seemed to shatter with his heart. He had always tried his best, pushed himself, to be the best he could for his father. To be a worthy son and heir – all for nothing.

All attempts at dignity forgotten he wept, the young and powerful tai-youkai lay prostrate on the floor, bruised and bloodied, crying unashamedly. His usually pristine hair, white as snow, was tangled around his head and the light in his golden eyes seemed to die.

Naraku was on his knees holding Sesshoumaru before he even realised what he was doing, rocking the demon back and forth murmuring soothing noises and trying to comfort him. He hadn't realised the breaking of Sesshoumaru's mind would affect him like this, he needed to gain control, needed to walk away now and not look back.

But somehow he couldn't move, all he could do was sit there in the darkening cell and hold the broken weeping man he knew now that he loved.


End file.
